Batman: The Adventures Continue #9 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE No. 9, July 2020

Considering the controversy “DC Comics” caused back in the Mid-Eighties when Jason Todd’s origin was revamped from being the offspring of circus acrobats to a “young street orphan who first encounters Batman while attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile in Crime Alley”, many readers of “Red Son Rising” may well have been a little nervous of Alan Burnett and Paul Dini’s efforts to incorporate the character into the “Batman: The Animated Series” continuity they created for “Fox Kids”. Indeed, the writers’ decision to additionally amalgamate some elements of the Joker’s criminal past as the mysterious Red Hood into the pot in order to provide the gung-ho kid vigilante with some additional motivation, could easily have concocted an unpalatable recipe for disaster.

Fortunately though, this digital first publication arguably does a very good job of making such a mishmash of plot lines work out for the best, with the death of Todd’s older brother whilst acting as a red-hooded lookout for the Wolves street gang, providing the Dark Knight’s protégé with plenty of reasons as to just why he became such a viciously formidable and savagely head-strong costumed crime-fighter; “I must admit, however, that his energy and skills were amazing. Such unfettered ferocity! He was to my eye the very equal of Master Dick at his age. Still, there were signs.”

Debatably this comic’s greatest moment however, has to be its inclusion of the Joker and the Clown Prince of Crime’s mysteriously super-strong minion, Straightman. The relationship between Todd and the Caped Crusader’s white-faced nemesis has always been tense following the fatal finale of Jim Starlin’s “A Death In The Family” storyline, and Issue Nine of “Batman: The Adventures Continue” quickly hints at the tension between the two adversaries when Jason unwisely decides to do a spot of “recon on the Clown” in order to scope “out his movements and any backup he’s got.”

Likewise, the former Robin’s skirmish upon a Whacky Wheel funfair ride with the Joker’s genetically enhanced soldier, is a visual tour-de-force by artist Ty Templeton and colourist Monica Kubina, with the action sequence being packed full of both feats of incredible strength, as well as a well-placed hand-grenade. In fact, these pulse-pounding panels are only let down by the scene’s brevity, and the slightly bizarre response of the deranged psychopath to flee the battle in a bumper car despite having a dazed Jason at his mercy, buried beneath the remnants of a shattered shooting gallery stall.

Writers: Alan Burnett & Paul Dini, Artist: Ty Templeton, and Colorist: Monica Kubina